Lately, I’ve been having a lot of quiet, behind-the-scenes conversations with Integrators. These aren’t public conversations. They’re the honest ones, the kind where people share what’s actually happening in their business and their life. The kind where the mask comes off, and the real questions come out. And after enough of these conversations, I started noticing a clear pattern. If you’ve been feeling stuck, restless, frustrated, or like you “should be further along by now,” this is for you. Because what I’m seeing has very little to do with lack of skill, and everything to do with Integrator positioning.

What I’m Seeing Behind the Scenes With Integrator Positioning

The Integrators I’m talking to are not beginners.

They are highly capable, deeply trusted, and often hold more responsibility than anyone else in the business. They see the big picture. They connect strategy, operations, and execution. They catch problems before they become emergencies. They keep things moving when others freeze.

They are the dependable ones, the steady ones, the ones who “just figure it out.” And yet, when they talk about themselves, there’s hesitation.

They say things like:

• “I don’t know if I’m really an Integrator yet.”
• “I do more than what I’m paid for, but I don’t know how to change that.”
• “I know I’m valuable — I just don’t know how to explain what I do.”

And every time I hear this, I think the same thing:

You are not lacking skill. You are lacking a frame.

Why This Keeps Happening to Experienced Integrators

What’s especially important to name here is who this is happening to.

This pattern doesn’t show up with people who just started freelancing last month. It shows up with Integrators who have years of experience… people who have supported businesses through growth, pivots, launches, burnout, and chaos.

They’ve been a steady presence when everything else felt unstable.

And because of that, many of them have built their identity around being:

• Helpful
• Flexible
• Adaptable
• Easy to work with

These are beautiful traits. They make incredible Integrators.

But there’s a downside no one talks about. Those same traits can keep you under-positioned.

“I Should Be Further Along” Isn’t Failure, It’s Transition

I want to pause here and reframe something important. If you’ve been thinking, “I should be further along by now,” that feeling is not a sign of failure. It’s a sign of transition.

Most Integrators don’t stall because they’re doing the wrong things. They stall because their role evolves faster than their positioning.

• Their responsibility grows faster than their authority.
• Their impact expands faster than their language.

And when those things fall out of sync, it creates internal tension.

You start questioning yourself.
You wonder if you missed something.
You think you need more skills.

But most of the time, you don’t need more skills.

You need clearer Integrator positioning.

Skill vs. Positioning: The Distinction Most People Miss

Here’s the distinction I see almost no one naming clearly enough:

Skill is what you can do.
Positioning is how that value is perceived, understood, and paid for.

You can be incredibly skilled and still be under-positioned.

I see Integrators every day who are:

• Doing strategic thinking
• Supporting high-level decisions
• Leading systems and operations
• Holding oversight and accountability

And yet they’re still positioning themselves as:

• A virtual assistant
• A helper
• A task doer
• “Just support”

That disconnect creates frustration. Because on the inside, you know you’re doing more. But on the outside, nothing changes unless the role is reframed.

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The Real Cost of Being Under-Positioned

Under-positioning doesn’t just affect your income. It affects your nervous system, your energy, and your sustainability.

It often leads to:

• Being paid for time instead of impact
• Feeling responsible without having authority
• Carrying emotional and operational weight that isn’t acknowledged
• Wanting fewer clients but feeling like you can’t afford to let any go

This is where burnout sneaks in.

Not because you don’t love the work, but because you’re holding leadership without being resourced as a leader.

And that is exhausting.

Why This Is So Common for Integrators

There’s another layer here that matters.

Many Integrators come into this work through:

• Caregiving roles
• Support positions
• Corporate assistant or operations roles
• Survival seasons where adaptability mattered more than visibility

They learned how to read the room.
How to anticipate needs.
How to put others first.

Those skills make incredible Integrators.

But they don’t automatically teach you how to:

• Claim authority
• Lead conversations
• Define your role instead of inheriting it

That’s not a flaw.

That’s the missing piece.

You’re Not Behind, You’re on the Edge of Something

If you’re nodding along as you read this, I want you to hear this clearly:

You are not behind.

You are at the edge of something, an edge where the old way of being the reliable one starts to feel too small.

The work you’re doing deserves a clear definition.
And you’re being invited to lead, not just support.

That edge can feel uncomfortable.
It can create friction.
It can make you question yourself.

But it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

It usually means you’re ready for a different level of clarity.

What’s Next

This conversation is just the beginning.

If this post put words to something you’ve been feeling, that sense of doing more than your role reflects, or knowing you’re capable of more but not quite sure how to shift it, I’m inviting you to go deeper with me.

I’m hosting a free live training called:

From Task Support to Strategic Partner: The Shift Most Integrators Never Make

In this training, we’ll explore:

• Why so many Integrators get stuck in support roles even when they’re leading
• What actually changes when you move from being helpful to being strategic
• How to begin repositioning yourself without burning bridges or starting over

Secure your spot in the free training here.

And if this resonated, you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.